Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami addresses the audience (Image by EasternEye)

India’s Republic Day was celebrated at The Bhavan last Thursday marking 74 years of the Constitution of India coming into effect.

The Indian high commissioner in UK – Vikram Doraiswami, was the chief guest of honour who addressed the crowd and other guests.

He said, “The Republic Day is significant because it is then that we gave ourselves the right to govern ourselves, and we have made great strides since then. The day established who wielded true power in India – its citizens. India has made tremendous progress in various fields including technology, medicine, arts, etc.”

Doraiswami went on to say that there are various qualities in a good citizen, which include – truthfulness, justice, equality, respect, and active participation in society.

“The value of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is embedded in the Indian tradition, and it includes not just the people but also our efforts to safeguard the environment. We in India strike a beautiful balance between the different aspects of life and the world,” he added.

He also said that there are 32 million UK citizens of Indian heritage who are very proud of their culture and roots.

He then congratulated The Bhavan for organising the event and being a flagbearer of Indian culture in the UK.

The event started with a traditional Sanskrit prayer by Dr M N Nandakumara, who is the executive director of The Bhavan.

Bhavan chairman Subhanu Saxena also welcomed the audience and spoke about the importance and quality of leadership in today’s world.